Swimming in the Daylight
An American Student, a Soviet-Jewish Dissident, and the Gift of Hope
Nonfiction, History, Asian, Russia, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Discrimination & Race Relations
| Author: | Lisa C. Paul | ISBN: | 9781629140391 |
| Publisher: | Skyhorse Publishing | Publication: | August 5, 2014 |
| Imprint: | Skyhorse Publishing | Language: | English |
| Author: | Lisa C. Paul |
| ISBN: | 9781629140391 |
| Publisher: | Skyhorse Publishing |
| Publication: | August 5, 2014 |
| Imprint: | Skyhorse Publishing |
| Language: | English |
“Her inspiring memoir captures a tumultuous period of history as well as the resilience of the human spirit” (Booklist).
In September 1984, Lisa Paul, an American college student living in Moscow and working as a nanny, enters Inna Meiman’s house for her first Russian language lesson. So begins a two year friendship—and a fight for Inna’s life.
Swimming in the Daylight chronicles Inna’s struggle to shed her refusenik status and to be granted a visa to travel to America, seeking medical treatment for the cancer that is slowly killing her. Inna reveals an indomitable spirit as she must deny invitations from countries in the West to receive life-saving treatment. This situation, Inna explains to Lisa, is the Soviet authorities’ way of persecuting her and her husband Naum, a member of the Moscow Helsinki Watch Group fighting for human rights in the USSR.
Spurred by outrage and the desire to help her friend, Lisa returns to the United States, vowing to do all she can to get Inna out of Moscow. Lisa stages a hunger strike, holds a press conference, and galvanizes American politicians to fight for Inna’s freedom. This is the story of their struggle, and how, in the Gorbachev era, Inna finally set foot on American soil.
“This book could not be more inspiring and needed for a contemporary audience whose memories of the Soviet era are fading.” —Natan Sharansky
“A powerful memoir about hope, courage, and faith.” —Dr. Alan Mittleman, chairman, Department of Jewish Thought, the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York
“Her inspiring memoir captures a tumultuous period of history as well as the resilience of the human spirit” (Booklist).
In September 1984, Lisa Paul, an American college student living in Moscow and working as a nanny, enters Inna Meiman’s house for her first Russian language lesson. So begins a two year friendship—and a fight for Inna’s life.
Swimming in the Daylight chronicles Inna’s struggle to shed her refusenik status and to be granted a visa to travel to America, seeking medical treatment for the cancer that is slowly killing her. Inna reveals an indomitable spirit as she must deny invitations from countries in the West to receive life-saving treatment. This situation, Inna explains to Lisa, is the Soviet authorities’ way of persecuting her and her husband Naum, a member of the Moscow Helsinki Watch Group fighting for human rights in the USSR.
Spurred by outrage and the desire to help her friend, Lisa returns to the United States, vowing to do all she can to get Inna out of Moscow. Lisa stages a hunger strike, holds a press conference, and galvanizes American politicians to fight for Inna’s freedom. This is the story of their struggle, and how, in the Gorbachev era, Inna finally set foot on American soil.
“This book could not be more inspiring and needed for a contemporary audience whose memories of the Soviet era are fading.” —Natan Sharansky
“A powerful memoir about hope, courage, and faith.” —Dr. Alan Mittleman, chairman, Department of Jewish Thought, the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York
